Workers to Noynoy: prioritize legislated P125 wage increase

As demands from various groups pour in, labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno said today that on Day 1, consistent presidential front-runner Noynoy Aquino should push for a legislated P125 wage hike, saying the measure will be part of undoing Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s disastrous policies.

“For more than nine years now, we workers have not had a substantial wage increase. Mrs. Arroyo has implemented a ‘wage freeze’ policy, ensuring that workers receive mere crumbs while foreign investors get maximum returns on their investments,” said Elmer “Bong” Labog, KMU chairperson.

“President Noynoy should not only go after Mrs. Arroyo over corruption cases. He should reverse Mrs. Arroyo’s economic policies that were disastrous to the Filipino workers and people. Not only did she enrich herself, she also kept the vast majority poor. Noynoy should change this,” Labog added.

KMU cited ex-Arroyo adviser and Aquino adviser Joey Salceda’s claim that under Arroyo’s rule, the country’s top 1,000 corporations got a total earning of P3.1 trillion. Of this amount, P2.1 trillion was pocketed as earnings and only P1 trillion was reinvested.

On the other hand, said KMU, the gap between the daily cost of living from the prevailing daily minimum wage has doubled under Arroyo, from P509 in 2001 to P917 in 2009.

“We need a legislated P125 wage hike. It should be legislated so as to make wage increase a national government policy and not just an optional measure by the regional wage boards. It should be no less than P125 so it can really provide relief from more than nine years of poverty and hunger – iyung aabot sa tiyan,” Labog said.

The labor leader vowed to lead mass actions calling for a substantial wage hike. “To show the next president and his government that workers mean business in calling for a legislated P125 wage hike, we will be holding mass actions in the coming months to pressure them to accede to our just demand,” Labog concluded.